FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and device for conveying flexible printing forms and, more particularly, for conveying flexible printing forms from a printing-form cylinder of a printing press by conveying means leading away therefrom over a deflecting region adjacent to a conveying plane along which the printing forms are guided and to feeding means for feeding the printing forms to a repository.
It has become known, heretofore, to arrange rigid deflecting surface members in the form of rods or deflecting plates between the away-leading conveying means and the feeding means and above the conveying plane. With such an arrangement, it is possible, particularly for printing forms which have possibly been softened or even moistened by the preceding printing operation, that the printing forms which are to be pressed, by the conveying means leading away from the printing-form cylinder, against the deflecting surfaces and to be dsflected by the rigid deflecting surface members as the printing forms slide along the latter, adhere to the deflecting surfaces at points or over large areas thereof. The adhesion causes a canting of the printing form and/or a braking effect directed opposite to the conveying movement.
The consequently delayed conveyance of the printing form away from the printing-form cylinder impedes the exchange of the printing forms from being rapidly performed. Particularly with regard to printing foils, a crumpling of the printing foil and, thereby, a spatial expansion of the printing foil in the lateral direction can result from conveying action further acting upon the printing foil, or also due to the travel of the printing foil through opening gaps in the guiding region, damage to the conveying means, and due to a backwash of the printing forms into the printing-form cylinder region, even damage to the printing-form cylinder devices can occur. In the case of a timely stopping of the press, the removal of the obstructing printing form is, at the very least, a waste of time and work.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and device for conveying flexible printing forms which permits reliable removal of the printing forms from the printing-form cylinder.